Reviews First drive: 2018 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T

17:42 07 november 2017

17:42 07 november 2017 Source:
automobilemag.com

One of the Six Ferrari Sergios Is for Sale for &dollar;5 Million

<p>Originally sold by invitation only, one of the rarest modern Ferraris could be yours for just over &dollar;5 million.</p>Get out your checkbook. An extremely exclusive 2015 Ferrari Sergio is for sale in the Netherlands on James Edition for about &dollar;5.06 million (converted from €4.3 million).

The Ferrari GTC 4 Lusso is the latest of a long line of front-engined V12 cars from Maranello. But with four-wheel drive and a quirky "breadvan" design, does

So on Sunday morning, I was boarding a flight from Los Angeles to New York and flying first class across the country to drive the 2018 Ferrari GTC 4 Lusso T . First stop: the Upper East Side of Manhattan—but it was pouring buckets of rain in the city. IKR?

PUNTA ALA, Italy — The FF is the only recent Ferrari that didn't sell like, well, a Ferrari. In an effort to spur demand for the four-seat shooting brake, Maranello added a V-8 model along with its facelift, which revived the GTC4 Lusso moniker. At the same time, chief designer Flavio Manzoni did what he could to freshen up the looks and bring the ancient infotainment system up to date.

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Despite its smaller engine and roughly $40,000 lighter price tag, the 2018 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T is hardly a Prancing Horse for peasants. The starting price is still above the cost of a house in most of the country and every option available on the 6.3-liter V-12-powered Lusso is also available for the T.

Ferrari Is Still Considering A New Dino But Doesn't Want To, You Know, Look Cheap

Ferrari is apparently still arguing with itself over bringing back the Dino as a new entry level sports car, but there’s hesitation over brand image. They don’t want to start to look cheap, you know, like Porsche. God forbid we ever have dreams of maybe someday being able to walk into a dealership and buy a brand new Ferrari Dino, even if it is the “least expensive” model.

Ferrari offers its purchasers horde customization choices, yet this "decision is yours" rationality by and large doesn' t stretch out to powertrains.

Research

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One look at the spec sheet is all it takes to confirm that the GTC4 Lusso T isn't a brand-new car. It contains a detailed description of the engine and chassis, plus a list of impressive performance figures (0-62 mph in 3.5 sec, top speed of 199 mph), but there is no mention of advanced assistance systems, partial electrification, or adjustable sway bars.

Though it doesn't get the car up to speed quite as quickly as the 680-hp V-12, the 600-hp twin-turbo V-8 plots a more impressive torque curve, which climaxes at 560 lb-ft between 3,000 and 5,250 rpm—46 lb-ft more than the naturally aspirated 12-cylinder. Not surprisingly, the smaller powerplant also uses almost 25 percent less fuel.

<p>Keeping up with the Kardashians just got a little bit tougher.</p>Despite being only 20 years old, Kylie Jenner has managed to amass quite a car collection. Her totally-normal garage has included a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, a Range Rover Autobiography, a Ferrari 458 Italia, a Rolls-Royce Ghost, and a Maybach for good measure. But after she and her sister Kendall bought matching Ferrari 488 Spiders last year, it seems Kylie wanted hers to stand out a little. (Again, completely understandable and relatable.

We drive the world's coolest twin-turbo V-8 hatchback from New York City and into the history books 2018 Ferrari GTC 4 Lusso T BASE PRICE 0,750 VEHICLE

Every GTC4 comes with Ferrari's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, though in the Lusso T it sends power to just the rear wheels instead of all four. Even in auto mode, the adaptive box rarely puts a cog wrong, but purists will always reach for the quarter-moon carbon-fiber shift paddles and Sport mode.

It takes a couple of hours to make friends with this new GTC4 Lusso T. Notably more light-footed, it likes to corner in nip-and-tuck mode, hanging on reassuringly long only to break away abruptly when the 245/35ZR20 front tires feel the heat or when the 295/35ZR20 rears feel like playing. Switch off stability control and nothing will likely change for a dozen bends or two. After all, the grip level is still phenomenal, and the armada of acronyms—E-Diff/SSC3/CST/F1 TRAC/ESP9.0/SCM-E—does a fine job supporting balance and composure.

Still, power oversteer is the name of the game as this Ferrari prefers sliding over carving. There is almost always enough torque on tap to light the Pirellis, but the trouble is one needs room to play with this big fish. While its rear-wheel steering attempts to cushion the slide, front-end grip is limited, so it takes a fairly hard stab on the throttle to push the Lusso T sideways. Not an antic for the faint hearted.

Refreshing or Revolting: 2018 Ferrari Portofino

<p>Ferrari's new entry-level model is sexier, more emotional</p>Up front you'll immediately notice the aggressive fascia that features Ferrari's corporate headlight design and a wide lower air intake, giving it a more imposing appearance than the California T, which has a less angular front end. From the side, the Portofino has a more muscular profile with its large rear haunches and is in full display with the roof stowed. The Portofino's retractable hardtop also flows with the car's lines to give it a more cohesive look compared to the California T, especially when viewed from the side.

Even with ESC on deck, the rear axle must cope with latent plucking, pulling and twitching forces that can send minor shockwaves all the way to the driver's palms. A mix of uneven surfaces and erratic torque feed will, even on a straight piece of road, induce a fair amount of shadow boxing. And as soon as any kind of radius enters the equation, things can get queasy along the car's vertical axis.

A softer setting can be summoned for the adjustable suspension with the press of a button. The extra compliance is welcome when the time comes to navigate something less smooth than the German autobahn, such as secondary Italian roads dotted with drastic camber variations, impromptu transverse ridges, and frost-bitten shoulders.

At the end of the day, I am exhausted and intrigued by the latest driving machine from Maranello. You see, this Ferrari is a loose cannon in more ways than one. Even though the lighter front end improves the weight distribution by two points to a tail-heavier 46/54 percent front/rear, the GTC4 Lusso T fuses emphatic body motions with obvious traction issues. While there is now less mass resting on the correspondingly lighter steering, front-wheel drive assistance has vanished, and with it, torque vectoring. All of which makes the Lusso T a more dynamic and defiant razor-edge drive.

Ferrari FXX-K Evo is Lighter, More Aerodynamic Than Predecessor

<p>Looks ready for space</p>Based on the LaFerrari, the FXX-K track car debuted in late 2014. It packed a 6.2-liter V-12 and electric motor for a combined 1,035 hp. Now, Ferrari is building off that model with the FXX-K Evo, available as an "extremely limited-run model" or as an upgrade package for existing XX cars. The new car is lighter than its predecessor and features a host of aerodynamic upgrades, including a new fixed rear wing that works in tandem with the active spoiler.

Ferrari 488 Pista. GTC 4 Lusso T . Another first from the GTC 4 Lusso is the new, beautifully balanced Dual Cockpit architecture designed to enhance the shared driving experience for both driver and passenger.

This Might be the Ferrari 488 GTO .
Leaked long before you were supposed to see itFor almost a year, we've heard rumors that Ferrari is developing a track-focused version of the 488 GTB. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but as much as we enjoy driving the regular 488, the possibility of a lighter, more powerful, hardcore version certainly has our attention. Supposedly, the new car, potentially called the 488 GTO, is scheduled to be revealed at this year's Geneva Motor Show, but it looks like a photo has already leaked.

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2018 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso review

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Ferrari has a new version of its four-seat GTC4Lusso T. It gets a new twin-turbo V8, a rear-wheel steering system and an all-new fun-to-drive attitude.

So on Sunday morning, I was boarding a flight from Los Angeles to New York and flying first class across the country to drive the 2018 Ferrari GTC 4 Lusso T . First stop: the Upper East Side of Manhattan—but it was pouring buckets of rain in the city. IKR?

FERRARI GTC 4 LUSSO T FIRST DRIVE 2018 - YouTube - www.youtube.com

Ferrari offers its purchasers horde customization choices, yet this "decision is yours" rationality by and large doesn' t stretch out to powertrains.

Ferrari 488 Pista. GTC 4 Lusso T . Another first from the GTC 4 Lusso is the new, beautifully balanced Dual Cockpit architecture designed to enhance the shared driving experience for both driver and passenger.

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